Roundabout.



"No. 804,147. PATENTED Nov. 7, 1905. H. s. MAXIM. ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION FILED AP'EMI, 1904.

3 SHEETSBHEET 2.

PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

H. s. MAXIM.

V ROUNDABOUT. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.m%zedd 66/ pmiTnn STATES PATENT @EETQE.

ROUNDABOUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905 Application filed April 4, 1904. Serial No.201,587.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Thurlow Lodge, Norwood Road, West Norwood, in thecounty of Surrey, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements Relating to Roundabouts, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to the kind of contrivance or roundabout in whichthere is a central rotary shaft driven by an appropriate motor or motorsand having at or near its upper end a series of radial arms from thefree ends of which cars are suspended, said cars being made to resemblewhat flying-machines are supposed to be like. The said cars aresuspended by long rods and are capable of swinging freely to and frowith respect to the central shaft, the'period of vibration beinggoverned by the same laws that govern the swinging of an ordinarypendulum. If it'be assumed that the speed of rotation of the cars aroundthe said central shaft is suflicient to enable centrifugal force tothrow the cars outward to such an extent that their suspensionrods lieat an angle of forty-five degrees to the vertical shaft, then so long asthe speed of rotation is uniform the cars would (if not otherwiseinfluenced) travel in a circle whose radius would be equal to thedistance existing between the cars and the central shaft added to thedistance the cars were thrown outwardly or away from the central shaftby the centrifugal force. If the suspension-rods were made of sufiicientlength to enable the period of vibration of the cars to correspond withthe period of their rotation about the central shaft, then by arrangingthe said shaft at an inclination the cars would be caused to travel in apath that would be higher on one side than the other, and as aconsequence somewhat peculiar movements would be imparted to the carsd'i'rring their travel. Such an arrangement is not, however, alwayspracticable, and it is one of the chief objects of my present inventionto obtain these peculiar movements of the cars without necessitating theinclination of the shaft. For this purpose the cars are provided withaeroplanes so constructed and arranged that they can be moved during therotation of the cars. The

movement of the aeroplanes may be effected by artificialscrew-propellersthat is to say,

screw-propellers so arranged on the cars as to revolve by the movementof the cars through the air and to drive suitable mechanism, such astangent screws engaging with wormwheels, connected by cranks or the likewith the aeroplanes. 1f the diameter and pitch of the screw-propellersare such that the rotation of the worm-wheel is in unison with thenatural period of vibration of the cars considered as pendulums, saidcars will after a few revolutions in their circular travel around thevertical shaft be swung outward and upward until their suspending-rodsassume a position of, say, forty-five degrees with respect to the saidvertical shaft without experiencing any disturbing influence from theaeroplanes. If the aeroplanes are then rendered active, they may atfirst cause the car to move outwardly only a few feet beyond theforty-fivedegrees. Then when the maximum travel is reached in thisdirection the aeroplanes may be moved so as to depress the cars, or notlift them at all, when they will swing downward and inward with respectto the forty-five-degree position. Then of course if the aeroplanes aremoved into their lifting position again the cars will be thrown outward,and by their outward momentum will mount considerably higher than theydid at the first swing, so that by working the aeroplanes in harmonywith the natural period of vibration it is possible to get an outwardswinging motion through many degrees of arc, and as the cars aretraveling in a circle at the same time the actual path that theydescribe in the air may be very complicated; but it is not alwaysnecessary that the period of rotation should correspond to the period ofvibration. The outward and inward effect can always be produced,providing the aeroplanes exert a lifting effect while the cars areswinging outward and cease their lifting effect while said cars areswinging inward, or, for that matter, operate to depress the cars whilethey are swinging inward. The swinging motion imparted to the cars isnot, it is to be observed, caused by a flapping of wings, but by thechange of angle of the aeroplanes. In some cases it may be advantageousto provide for disconnecting the mechanism from the aeroplanes, so thatthey can be moved by hand. It would then be possible for a passenger inone of the cars to cause it to perform such evolutions as are bestsuited to his taste. When the cars are at rest at the landing-stage ofthe roundabout, the areoplanes lie approximately at an angle offorty-five degrees, so that when the said cars swing outward to theirfortyfive-degree position the aeroplanes are horizontal. This positionof the aeroplanes relatively to the cars enables theaeroplanes to exerta retarding influence on the cars as the latter move toward the verticalshaft in assuming their position of rest, thus permitting the cars tocome quietly to rest. As their speed slackens they swing inward towardthe vertical shaft until they come into contact with an inclined top ofthe landing-stage. If the wind should be blowing, it is quite evidentthat some means must be used for preventing the cars from swinginginward too far. I provide for this contingency by having a circular railor ring, which I term a guardrail, situated just above thelanding-stage, against which guard-rail the cars, the suspension-rods,or the parts by which said rods are connected with the cars may strikeas the cars swing inward. In order to permit of the cars travelingthrough the air at a rapid rate without experiencing unnecessaryresistance from the air, they may be of boat shape or of such othershape that they will pass easily through the air, and they may be,furthermore, so shaped that the passengers will be protected from thewind caused by the rapid revolution of the cars. An advantageous shapeto give to the cars is that of a fish or bird. It is necessary toprovide means of instantly securing the cars when they come to rest andof holding them securely in a stiff and rigid manner while thepassengers are entering or leaving them, for which purposesmagnetically-controlled retaining devices will probably be found themost suitable. By this arrangement the holding and the release of thecars may be controlled by the man controlling the motive power, thuspreventing confusion and danger in the starting and stopping operations.

In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, I will describe the same more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a generaldiagrammatic sectional elevation of my machine or roundabout. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal section of the lower part of the rotary shaft, showingits footstep-bearing and the driving-gear on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of one of the cars, showing the mode of connecting thesame with the suspension-rods. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of one of saidcars, showing the movable aeroplane connected therewith. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal section of the rear end of one of said cars, showing themode of connecting the said aeroplane with the shaft of thescrew-propeller for actuating said aeroplane therefrom. Fig. 6 1s adetail plan showing one of the magnetlc contrivances for securing thecars in their position of rest during the ingress or egress ofpassengers.

A is the central rotary shaft. B B are the suspended cars, of whichthere may be any appropriate number, and C is the landingstage. The saidshaft A is preferably made of mild steel in several tubular sections orlengths bolted or otherwise firmly secured together at their ends, thesections at the upper part of said shaft gradually diminishing indiameter. The lower end of the shaft is provided with a flange a, Fig.2, to which is bolted or otherwise connected a spur-wheel a and aflanged footstep a of cast-steel. This footstep has a central hollowcylindrical portion with a slightly conical margin where it joins theflanged periphery. Surrounding the said cylindrical portion of thefootstep is a sleeve a containing washers a and having its lower end andupper margin convexly curved from the same center of curvature, thelower end of said sleeve resting upon a correspondingly-curved concaveblock a, which is supported by an iron beam or girder embedded in theconcrete floor of the structure. In order to obtain a firm bed or basefor the structure, several blocks of masonry a are embedded in theconcrete to support girders a, upon which latter cross-girders a a a arest. The girders a support a bed-plate a", having a central concavecavity where it embraces the convex margin of the said footstepsleeve aTo the girders a are bolted or otherwise rigidly connected the lowerends of upright angle-irons a a which are suitably braced by cross-barsa At the upper ends of the upright angle-irons a is a plate a throughwhich the central shaft A extends, said plate receiving a bearing-blocka for the said shaft A. This bearing-block is held in the proper centralposition relatively to the said shaft by adjustable screws a, which aresupported in flanges or lugs at the margin of the plate a. Above thesaid bearing-block is rigidly secured to the shaft A a steel hub A, fromwhich radiate the series of suspension-arms A of which only two areshown in the drawings. These arms are connected to IIO the said shaftand to each other by tensionrods A From the free ends of the said arms Adepend rods A, to the lower ends of which the cars B are attached, ashereinafter explained. The said landingstage or platform 0 is circularand is supported by stanchions O at a suitable height above the ground,said platform being reached by stairways C and landings O. The floor ofthe said platform is preferably made outwardly inclined at its margin Cso that when the cars are at rest they will lie at the top of saidincline and be to some extent supported thereby.

C is the circular guard-rail, which occupies such a position that itwill prevent the cars from swinging inward too far by the action of thewind or'otherwise. This guardrail is supported by uprights havingoutwardly-curved upper ends, the intervals between said uprights beingprovided with fencing to prevent persons from passing onto the inclinedmargin of the platform. Gates or the like under the control ofattendants would be provided at suitable points in said fencing toenable the passengers to pass through on their way to and from the cars.Each of the said cars has a longitudinal bar B, which 1 term aspreader-bar, arranged above it and connected therewith by rods B Bwhich are provided at their upper ends with clampingpieces B B by meansof which they are joined to said spreader-bar B. There are preferablyfour suspension-rods A for each car, said rods being arranged asindicated in Fig. 3 that is to say, two of the suspension-rods of one ofthe arms A and two of the suspension-rods of another adjacent arm A arerespectively connected to the clamping-pieces B, so that the rods ofeach car form the sides of a quadrilateral figure with diagonals thatcross one another. The said rods thus permit free outward swingingmotion of the cars, but effectually prevent tangential movement thereofrelatively to the circle of revolution. As it is necessary for theclamping-pieces to be accurately adjusted on the bar B, I make themcapable of sliding thereon and furnish them with bolts or other devicesfor enabling them to be firmly held to the said bar after having beenadjusted. Each spreader-bar B has a large soft-iron bar B, Fig. 6,attached thereto, and at suitable intervals around the guard-rail Cpowerful electromagnets C are provided in such position that when thecars are brought to rest the bars B will be in the vicinity of the saidelectromagnets, so that when the latter are energized by an electriccurrent passing around their coils the said magnets will exert apowerful attractive force on said bars, and thus hold the cars firmly ina stationary position while the passengers are entering and leaving thecars. When the cars are ready to start again, the electric circuitthrough the magnet-coils is broken, thereby releasing said cars.

72?), Figs. 4 and 5, are the aeroplanes, one of which is provided oneach car. Each aeroplane is slightly curved and has comparatively sharpedges and a thick middle portion. It may be of rectangular shape or maybe made in the form of a birds wing. Each aeroplane is connected withthe bar B of the car by means of a strong metal bar 6, having a bracket6 which is clamped around the said bar B in such a position that theaeroplane lies in a plane at an inclination of about fortyfive degreesrelatively to the vertical longitudinal plane of the car when the latteris at rest. The ends of the said bar 5 are turned upward and areconnected with lugs b on the under side of the aeroplane by pivot-pins,thus permitting said aeroplane to turn at right angles with respect toits normal plane z'. e., in the direction of the length of the car. Whenthe said aeroplanes are to receive their motion automatically, they maybe each connected by a rod 6 Fig. 5, to a bell-crank lever 6 situatedwithin the car, said lever being eccentrically coupled at 6 by a rod 6to a toothed crank-disk 5 which is mounted on a transverse shaft-Z2.This crank-disk receives motion from a worm b carried by the shaft ofthe screw-propeller B. As the cars travel through the air the saidpropellers are revolved by the air,and thereby impart motion, throughthe above-described mechanism, to the aeroplanes, thus bringing aboutthe inward and outward swinging motion of the cars during theirrevolution around the central shaft, as already explained. If it bedesired to render the aeroplanes capable of moving about their pivots byhand instead of automatically, the rod 6 may be disconnected from thebell-crank lever b and be actuated by a person in the car, as aforesaid.

When a large and long body, such as one of the aforesaid cars, is beingprojected through the air end Wise, the atmospheric resistance itexperiences gives rise to a force at the front end thereof greater thanat the rear end, which force tends to divert the body from its course. Itherefore provide my cars with a large wide tail B in order tocounteract the aforesaid diverting tendency. This tail may be mounted ona rearward extension of the car or on the bar B thereof, said extensionor tail being suitably bent, as shown in Fig. 6, to direct the rear endof the car outward and the fore end inward during the movement of thecars about the axis of revolution.

The aforesaid spur-wheel a at the bottom of the shaft A gears with aspur-pinion a, Fig. 2, which is keyed to a short vertical shaft amounted in bearings a" a. At the upper end of the shaft a is keyed atoothed wheel a, that gears with a toothed pinion (0 keyed to anothervertical shaft (0 which is arranged parallel to the shaft a and mountedin bearings (4 (0 The lower bearings a and c4 of the two shafts a a arelocated in a sole-plate a, which is bolted to the aforesaid bed-plate a.The upper bearings a 60 are situated in a plate (4 which is carried by abracket 0 bolted to the said sole-plate a. The said shaft (0 also haskeyed to it a bevelwheel (4 with which gears a bevel-pinion a driven bythe motor A that is bolted to the said sole-plate a.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of horizontalbars situated above and secured to the cars, two clip-pieces adjustablymounted on said horizontal bar one near each end, four suspension rodsdepending from the outer end of each radial arm, two of which rods ofone arm and two rods of an adjacent arm are suitably connected with thepair of clip-pieces of one horizontal bar, means for enabling passengersto enter and leave said cars, means for restraining the extent of theinward movement of said cars toward the axis of ro tation, means forholding the cars in and releasing them from their position of rest, andmeans for driving the said rotary shaft substantially as described.

2. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of a circularplatform situated above the ground for the passengers to enter and leavethe cars when they come to rest at the margin of said platform, anoutwardly-inclined margin to said platform, a circular guard-railcarried by said platform in a position to restrain the extent of inwardmovement of said cars toward the axis of rotation, devices for exerting,when energized, a magnetic attractive force of sufficient power tofirmly retain the cars in their position of rest during the times thatthe passengers are entering or leaving the cars, and means for drivingthe said rotary shaft substantially as described.

8. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of a circularplatform situated above the ground for the passengers to enter and leavethe cars when they come to rest at the margin of said platform, anoutwardly-inclined margin-to said platform, a circular guard-railcarried by said platform in a position to restrain the extent of inwardmovement of saidcars toward the axis of rotation, electromagnets earnedby sald guard-rail, iron bars carried by the cars in a position to comeoppo-' site said electromagnets when the cars are at rest, means fordriving said rotary shaft, and means for causing the said electromagnetsto become energized or inactive at the will of the attendant controllingthe means employed for driving the shaft substantially as described.

4. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of aeroplanescarried by said cars, means for changing the angular position of saidaeroplanes relatively to the horizontal, means for enabling passengersto enter and leave said cars, means for restraining the extent of theinward movement of said cars toward the axis of rotation, means forholding the cars in and releasing them from their position of rest andmeans for driving the said rotary shaft substantially as described.

5. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of movableaeroplanes carried by said cars, screw-propellers on said cars, meansfor operatively connecting said propellers with said aeroplanes, meansfor enabling passengers to enter and leave said cars, means forrestraining the extent of the in ward movement of said cars toward theaxis of rotation, means for holding the cars in and releasing them fromtheir position of rest, and means for driving the said rotary shaft substantially as described.

6. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of aeroplanespivotally mounted on said cars so as to be angularly movable in alongitudinal plane relatively to the cars, screwpropellers on said cars,means for operatively connecting said propellers with said aeroplanes,means for enabling passengers to enter and leave said cars, means forrestraining the extent of the inward movement of said cars toward theaxis of rotation, means for holding the cars in and releasing them fromtheir position of rest, and means for driving the said rotary shaftsubstantially as described.

7. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of aeroplanesmounted on said cars at an inclination to the vertical longitudinalplane thereof and capable of pivotal movement in a plane at right anglesto their plane of inclination, screw-propellers on said cars, means foroperatively connecting said propellers with said aeroplanes for enablingthe said propellers to rock the aeroplanes about their pivotalconnections, means for enabling passengers to enter and leave the cars,means for restraining the extent of the inward movement of said carstoward the axis of rotation, means for holding the cars in and releasingthem from their position of rest, and means for driving the said rotaryshaft substantially as described.

8. In a roundabout, the combination with an upright rotary shaft, radialarms carried thereby and cars suspended from said arms; of aeroplanesmounted on said cars at an inclination .to the vertical longitudinalplane thereof and capable of pivotal movement in a plane at right anglesto their plane of inclination, screw-propellers on said cars adapted torevolve by the action of the air during the travel of the cars, meansfor operatively conmeeting said propellers with said aeroplanes forenabling the propellers to rock the aeroplanes about their pivotalconnections, means for enabling the aeroplanes to be disconnected fromthe screw-propellers to permit of their being rocked by hand; means forenabling passengers to enter and leave the cars, means for restrainingthe extent of the inward movement of said cars toward the axis of r0-tation, means for holding the cars in and releasing them from theirposition of rest, and

